On Thursday, the Syrian Arab Army Tiger Forces and tribal forces, backed up by the Russian Aerospace Forces, have launched a military operation against in the southwestern part of Raqqah province. Initially, pro-government troops advanced south of Resafa and liberated Bir al Zenati, Bir Itaw and Bir Hiwaran villages. On Friday, they captured Ridgem-Abe el-Kalat Hills and deployed in a striking distance from the Dubaysan oil field and the Bir al-Zamlah crossroad.

According to pro-government sources, the ongoing anti-ISIS operation involves about 6,500 fighters from Raqqah tribes loyal to the Syrian government. However, this number cannot be confirmed independently.

When the Tiger Forces and their allies secure the Bir al-Zamlah crossroad, they will have 3 options:

1. To develop momentum southwest of Resafa, capturing oil fields in the area, steadily recapturing the ISIS-held area south of the Ithriyah-Resafa road. The goal of this advance is to secure the western flank of the military grouping that will push to the ISIS-held town of Sukhna from the Resafa direction.

2. To launch a rapid push towards the ISIS-held town of Taybah north of Sukhna. The goal of this move is to increase pressure on ISIS units in the eastern Palmyra countryside and to attempt to isolate Sukhna from the northern and southwestern direction.

3. To push towards Deir Ezzor. This version was widely promoted by some pro-government media. However, if government forces attempt to reach the ISIS-besieged city, their advance may end as the attempt to reach Tabqah from the Ithriyah direction in 2016. In other words, government forces will retreat after a series of flank attacks from ISIS terrorists.

In any case, the government advance in southern Raqqah will also lead to intensification of clashes between the army and terrorists east of Salamiyah. If government forces capture the whole Resafa-Palmyra road, ISIS units remaining west of the road will be cut off from supplies and reinforcements from Deir Ezzor province and the Iraqi border area. Meanwhile, government forces made notable gains in the southern desert, recapturing Abu Khashbah, al Ghudaht, at Tayyar and Ard Umm ar Rumum and deploying closer to the full encirclement of the area formally controlled by US-backed militants. Clearing this pocket, the Syrian command is seeking to shorten the frontline in southern Syria in order to free additional forces for operations against ISIS.

Next 7-10 days will be very important for the army and show if the Iranian-Syrian-Russian alliance is able to achieve their key goals, including the lifting siege from Deir Ezzor, on the Syrian battleground before US-backed forces capture the city of Raqqah.

i think they should do options one and two before doing three, which they will do anyway. secure as much of the flanks and oil fields needed for a secure and successful push to dez :))

Jordan

I agree. Do you think the SDF and/or those shadadi US militants will reach Dez first? I really want option 3 option 1 and 2 are definitely most strategic. Maybe those tribal forces can push to dez., the tigers can go south and follow the pre made trail to Dez from those forces. Then the other SAA factions can clean that east palmyra country side pocket. Thoughts?

Thegr8rambino

I hope not, but issam has dez pretty well under control from what I hear, so I think they can even repel the SDF. Main thing is its important for SAA not to fall in to the same trap as in 2016 like they said in third option.

Jens Holm

But they are not even attacked by SDF. SyAF attacked SDF and a plane was shot down.

Do You bury Your deads with the head down too?

Thegr8rambino

US flew a bunch of jihad is a while na go over to shaddadi to try to take Dez, and no, I dont do such things, maybe u do

Jens Holm

You must be joking. Those troops are hardly troops. Its more like an evacuation.

As I recall it, they were announced as 400, but must reduced by SAA figtings. Much less then 400 could first defeat ISIS around it -. and then estimated 4-5.000 SAA in it.

Ypu are barking mad.

Besides that they shoudl cross the ISIS defence line first.

Thegr8rambino

So what are they then? Housewarming guests?

Jens Holm

No, more the opposite. Its a vakkuum zone having no population because people living there was all arabs and also had many ISIS supporters.

South of it SDF has a hard fronline protecting it from the fortified Markada. But north of it – none – until firther north(Hasaka areas).

So they are there because they have nowhere else to go having no FSA colleges or friends.

telefonkabel

SDF doesn’t need to take Dez itself. The oil-rich region there north of Euphrates and important towns west of Dez would be enough to cripple Syria.

Jens Holm

Thats what I have told morons for years. They first took, what was named as Rojava (minus the Al Bab connection).

Next they were kind of forced to take Raqqa(&Tabqa) having extra good will and support from arabs there and pressure from USA(and allies).

I see the oil as “share” whatever happens. Thats a big difference from Damaskús taking all. The same about governes. Its my hope a solutions says, the SDF zone or most of it get much selfrule.

Weldon Cheek

Your a us propaganda hound,you just keep coming out with more and more shit.

Jens Holm

Idiot

Jens Holm

Again that total twisted version on, what going on and what the SDF/US plans are. They only relate to Baatista and Erogan propaganda being only eneimies in all matters.

Shame on You, if its even buildt into You.

SAA has had free space for years to Take Tabqa as well as Raqqa. Hard to see they even could now.

Same thing at Palmyra, which SAA hardly has left after 100`s of socalled advances. Seems like ISIS again has stopped those low Q forces taking many deads, weapons and vehicles.

Now the SAA is spread out with socalled 1000`s of light armed tribers. And SAA still dont understand effective methods against ISIS after Years and why US still has El TANF.

If only Denmark had had strategists like you in WW2 the Germans would not have walked over your country :)

The only claim to fame really in WW2 for Denmark was a Victoria Cross awarded to a Danish Officer serving in the British SAS during the retreat from Crete.

Jens Holm

Yes, Denmark was like USA and Neville Chamberlain having almost none defence. My father was early in many things but only 10 in 1939.

Taraakenyon

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Weldon Cheek

As the commentary said,this is one of the really important decisions to be made for the upcoming battle for this area,i hope they can keep up the mommentum and keep applying the pressure needed to see them reach D Azz. What a result it would be to seal off this side of euprates and secure the border all the way to al bukmal.It would be no sweat clearing up all way to al tanf then!.

Jens Holm

One thing is to make decisions.But You have none realitic idea about how little Your pressure is and how much You live in an ancient fantasy world about it.

Weldon Cheek

Well i see that a year ago the map was a hell of a lot more green and black,i also see that the islamist factions are getting so frustrated they are now in almost open warfare against each other,id say that looks a whole lot more like success to the SAA to me,which maps are you reading?

I see the same. But I also see SDF has taken a great part of the heat in that part of Syria having many dead as price.

Im sure SAA wasnt where they are without SDF and would never be able to take the SDF zone from ISIS as well.

Thegr8rambino

yes i hope they dont just shoot straight for dez and god forbid have to start retreating from too many daesh, they have been winning nonstop for 5 months now, so they need to secure enough flanks and put the necessary pressure on daesh to make it a secure and successful rescue :) also i really hope that SAA has some good forward recon, i dont know if they have satellites, i know russia does, but like drones, spyplanes, even helicopters, gathering intel on enemy positions is sooo useful and can save so much lives and equipment.

Jens Holm

What do we see here. SAA`s as well as kitchen generals very good for soup and pizza directing troops as the very generals at barbarossa being the best of the best germans and russians or brits and americans at El Alamein.

You even “RACE”. Which “RACE”. Snails would be faster. Well trained bright infantery supported by mouls would be faster too.

Jordan

Who do you support in this here war my friend? Who do you wish to see prevail?

Solomon Krupacek

i am on side of syria/saa/assad. but sadly i must also say, that these guys are catastrophy. like little children.

Thegr8rambino

these little children have secured over 15,000 square kilometers of syria in the past 5 months. are they still little children?

Solomon Krupacek

secured are, where which the enemy gave up. i remeber aleppo… month did nothing. when kurds and yanks beat too much isis, then retreated and saa took villages.

Thegr8rambino

Nope, they have killed many many daesh in the process and still do. Read any of the articles in the past 5 months on here.

Trustin Judeau

SAA controls around 36 percent of Syria . In January it was around 20 – 22 . And soon it will be over 40 , so whoever tells you SAA is doing nothing is fraud

Lol,i get it now! Hes one of those kids who got punched on the playground then actually believed it when the teacher said its braver to walk away!! With a big black eye! If you dont fight for whats right you die,thats it,plain and slmple,no one and i mean no one is going to pat you on the back and say “well done” when you just stood by and let everyone you love and everything you own get smashed and destroyed,thats just common sense. Right??

Jens Holm

In the matters here its strictly military point of views. I support SAA, SyAF, Russians, Hesbollas and the few iranians optimize their warfare by anylyzing from my long time knowledge bases on many years studying as an amateur.

According to realtions to SDF, I think both should have space to fight ISIS and by that divede the heat. Thats why I think SAA should not try to take Deir El Zor by Tabqa. When SDF sooner or later has closed down Raqqa or has taken it, they free extra troops. Of course there should be space for them helping SAA killing ISIS.

Deir El Zor has to be taken by Palmyra and help from Iraq along Eufrat. No Iranians are needed and Iranians already has long tranportation.

So Im just telling thats Assads should use their low qualified troops as such. Its better to take less and keep it and less and keep in having less loses. They do waste a lot of time and equipment by moving around. Its stupid. they Import fuel !!! So its like that systematicly making it into fewer and shorter fronlines covering them better.

You cant change an army like that.Most is based on menthality learned from baby and up obeying and not thinking. Thats not my fault. They fault is to use those soldiers as they are not and too often get them slaugtered for “advance”. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

My personal oppinion. I try to argue for calming down incl.non realitic kurds as well as others. I have no final solutions for Syria. Its more like taken the worst away and try to do it again and again.

If I should hope for a realistic next fase it would be a northern federation of Counsils being much sekular and having a try for that. Only Turks disturb that, so they should be stopped by us(im western) or the russians. Not much should be decided from Damaskus, but oil money should be paid out to every citizen in stead of rich get most of it and add corruption.

And Assads. Well, I s´dont see any other then kurds have an alternative program, so fase 2 should be Assads still being there, but with véry reduced power all over the country.

The SAA and the rest should be reduced to smaller but effective police units. Who will attack Syria if USA and Russia defend it. An ineffective army could go into rebuildning the country in stead. They are well structured for a lot of rebuilding and people from armies do have skills for water, electricity, roads, houses and some are better then none for elementary medical care.

Weldon Cheek

In war if you dont learn from your mistakes you die,the saa used to attack in small uncordinated light strikes,here there everywhere,now they seem to have a working tactic by surrounding and eating up the forces in the “bulges” yes this takes longer but its working,why go back to what got you nowhere?or is that what you think they should do?oh sorry,youd not bother and go sit home and wait for the inevitable! I remember now!

Jens Holm

They should have taken that way many years ago in stead og making bulgs, which is hard to defend with eklephant with no legs troop, no real informents and a lousy logistic.

Great to hear Raqqah tribal forces will aid SAA. Perhaps even some SDF members will switch to SAA ? I vote for option 2, the move south to Sukhna from Resafa. Take the road and isolate the ISUS trash in the west.

Could be the Desert Hawks are re deploying further west towards Resafa, and then will strike south. I say screw the Uquayrbat area (rough terrain), ISIS has little offensive capability left to mess with SAA. Isolate them and let them rot on the vine.

Solomon Krupacek

no, they went to latakia.

Weldon Cheek

I dont think that means their going home to watch the war on tv from now on.they probably going to rest and re equip etc before the main push on D ezz. Thoughts anyone?

FlorianGeyer

Perhaps a rapid defence unit is needed on the Idlib front where US organised ‘spoiler’ attacks will be made to take the pressure off the Palmyra front. Tigers and the Hawks do not get on with each other very well either, so rather than have a drama, just relocate them where such forces are needed anyway.

Jordan

Another question. How have the SAA been able to hold it down in deir ezzor? There should be a movie or a documentary made on them. Its remarkable to be cut off and surrounded and hold it down. Theyve been perfect with reciving air drops and rationing food as well as defend what 100,200 attacks? Pretty awesome feat. Movie/documentary worthy in my opinion.

Weldon Cheek

You know the score bud,these idiots can spout all their B.S. but the picture is clear,good old Assad has prevailed,the plan has back fired,hes a national hero! No forced removal, they tried so hard but he played it right,now we will see,but even if,god forbid,the battle stopped tommorow and things stay as they are,the syrian army has fought bravely and with all the odds stacked against them,just Aleppo was massive.

Jordan

Agreed. SAA have battled tough and russia definitely helped. Have you seen the documentary the last men in aleppo? Not all people are happy with assad which should be interesting for post war. I think everyone is just done fighting and wants to get back to their homes and lives and theyll live with Assad. As much as they complain about the bombings, if they just stopped complaining , the bombs would stop. Idk interesting documentary.

FlorianGeyer

The men and women in Deir Ezzor under siege are true Titans. No longer can Arab soldiers be mocked.

Western forces would have given up years ago.

Jordan

But do you know how? Do they have good elevation? Their weapons are far supperior? Is it clutch air cover thats kept them alive? A documentary would be perfect. The SAA titans hold it down in Deir Ezzor lol good title.

FlorianGeyer

As long as a documentary of the SAA in Deir Ezzor was NOT produced by the fantasy moguls of Hollywood but by those who wish to portray Reality it would be worth paying to see.

Keith Smith

when isis is wiped will be interesting to see how far the US is willing to back their ‘forces’ opposed to assad. Russians will have np bombing them, will the US test the russian AA systems before the end of this yr? If Russians win that one ( will probably be qatar aircraft bought from the US )